Pasta, Grains & Pulses

Grains and pulses are invaluable for giving body and protein to a vegetarian meal, but they are too often abused, with the result that they become stodgy, monotone and formless. This need not be the case, as I hope to prove in this chapter. Combined with carefully cooked vegetables or with chicken and fish you can create something really exciting. For years I found rice extremely boring, but that was before I had experienced the light fluffiness and real flavour of Persian rice, the delicate nuttiness of basmati and Thai fragrant rice and the irresistible texture of a risotto made with arborio rice. Luckily, these kinds of rice are now much more easily available as are many more exotic ingredients and aromatics to combine with them. Dried beans are versatile and satisfying, but age and condition greatly affect their cooking time, so they have to be checked fairly often. Their protein content is a particular bonus for vegetarians, and for me they are the ultimate comfort food. Pasta is, of course, almost everyone’s favourite, and invariably the answer when you have to produce a last-minute meal. It is such a good and versatile vehicle for other ingredients that there is endless scope for experimenting with Italian or more exotic flavours.